Winter weather is not just the culprit for frozen feet and ice cold fingers, but it is also the primary reason for dry brittle curls. As I make the transition from the 50 degree winters of Bay Area, California to polar vortexes in Philadelphia, the way I protect my hair must change as well. 50 degree winters where I can be fine wearing a sweatshirt is nothing compared to the brutal cold of East Coast weather. Whether you have 4c or 3b hair, it is important to protect your curls as much as you can. Based off of my experience as a Black and Indian woman with 3b/3c hair, here are some of my tips to make sure your hair remains healthy and beautiful all winter long.
1. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Winter weather dries out your hair, leading to more tangles and breakage. To keep your curls popping and healthy, try to apply products meant for moisturizing, such as hair masks, conditioners, leave-ins, and curl creams. A good tip is to make sure one of the first labeled ingredients is water. After all, you do literally need water to moisturize your hair. You can also use oils to lock in the moisture, such as Jamaican Black Castor Oil or Avocado Oil. The LOC method is an excellent way to maintain that moisture.
2. LOC (Leave-in, Oil, Conditioner) Method
As previously stated, the LOC method is a great way to retain moisture. Start with a leave-in conditioner or water-based liquid, then add in an oil such as the ones listed above, and finally, finish with a cream to lock in the moisture. I personally use Cantu Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream as my leave-in, with Jamaican Black Castor Oil to moisturize further, and EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Curl Defining Creme as my cream, which is pretty heavy but helps to define my curls.
3. Trim!
Trim your hair regularly. This way you can cut off dead ends to minimize breakage and tangles. A lot of the time, dryness can lead to split ends! If they aren’t taken care of, the split can continue its way up the shaft of your hair, leading to your hair breaking off and not looking as healthy. If you trim your hair regularly and stay ahead of split ends, you can minimize breakage and tangles.
4. Avoid Heat
Heat only dries out your hair more than the already cold, dry weather, so try to avoid flat irons and blow dryers as much as you can. Once your hair is stripped of its natural oils, it can take a while for your hair to recover. If you do diffuse your curls, try to use the cool setting on your blow dryer.
5. Take Advantage of Protective Hair Styling
We should protect our hair from the elements as much as possible. You can either get braids, a weave, a wig, or wear buns. It’s important to remain moisturized, regardless of the hairstyle you choose to rock!
6. Deep Condition
Since moisturizing your hair is key, I use a leave-in conditioner everyday and deep condition at least once (sometimes twice) a week. How often you deep condition depends on numerous factors, including whether or not you swim often, how damaged your hair is, as well as your usage of heat. Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle is a great option for a deep conditioning treatment that moisturizes and has great slip in terms of making it easier to detangle.
7. Co-Wash
You don’t need to wash your hair with shampoo as often in the winter as it can strip your hair of essential oils. A great option is to co-wash, which is to wash your hair with conditioner and then use shampoo every 2-4 weeks. I usually use Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser paired with Dove Advanced Hair Series Conditioner. The co-wash cleanses my hair and breaks down build-up, while Dove’s conditioner, in addition to smelling amazing, helps to detangle and moisturize it.
So, the main takeaway is to moisturize your hair! However, keep in mind that certain products work differently on different hair types. The products mentioned above have all worked for me, but if they are not working for you, I recommend trying out different hair products depending on your hair type and the condition of your hair. Finding the right hair products is definitely a trial-and-error process, but with some guidance and research, you will have your go-to winter hair routine nailed down in no time.